Over Stocked ?

[blueshoe32]

Hello, I am new to the forums and fish keeping. last year I was gifted a 20 gallon hex setup and I have a community going. I am alot more aware of over stocking and how 1 inch per gallon isnt a literal rule. I curretly have 2 dwarf rams, a honey gourimus (Sp?), 3 guppies, 5 tettra ( Started off with 7 in the original set up. Only 5 still remain), 2 bristlnosed, 2 snails and 3 ghost shrimp. ( a comminity suggested by my local fish store and "experiance " of the aqatic section attendents.) I have a master kit and have been montiring it and I have noticed spikes in nitrats -2 ( from 0 to 0.25). Everything else is at a normal level. I currently have a 10 gallon thats been up for 3 weeks and have concidered transfering some into it. THe 10 contains 1 male double tail betta and 3 rasboras as a starting point.

Am I over Stocked ?

 

[toolman]

Welcome to AA

Yes I do believe your overstocked, because although 20 gallons there's not enough surface area for some active species to swim around.
You might get more replies in the freshwater general discussion forum from other members.

 

[blueshoe32]

Oh I am sorry. I thought general topics were done here. If I posted in the wrong forum.

 

[toolman]

It's ok, you'll get more ...and better replies over there.

 

[blueshoe32]

To move this post do I need to retype or copy and paste or is there a option to move it so I can be in a more appropriate section ? I hate to double post and annoy everyone

 

[toolman]

I don't know, but I don't believe you'd annoy anyone, everyone is pretty cool about honest mistakes.

 

[Laser]

I agree with Toolman, it's a little overstocked, but I have seen much worse. If it was a 20 long you would be in much better shape. As for the Rasboras in the 10, I'm not a fan of those for a 10g. Those guys really like to swim around and they are fast. They love strong currents.

In my opinion you could do much worse for both tanks. I would not go beyond the betta and a school in the 10g. As for the 20 hex, what kind of tetras are they? I'm not sure about the care requirements for the bristlenose plecos myself, hopefully someone else will chime in.

 

[blueshoe32]

The tetra are 1 inch neons.

 

[flchamp89]

Over stocked yes..improperly stocked...yes ...its a hex. Hex are harder to stock due to the footprint. That needs to be considered.

 

[blueshoe32]

I am now thinking more about transferring my tetras to my 10. I did notice when I last did a water change that there was ALOT of food that floated up. Over feeding may have also caused my spiked nitrates

 

[flchamp89]

Youll get conflicting info...but for active school or shoal type fish generally a 24 in tank (20g) is recommended. Id say 5 neons are a little on the low side. The more in the shoal the more natutal they behave. Less stress less disease longer life.

Say you have 6- 8 neons thats pushing a 10g (20in tank).They can be active. You have a betta and some type rasbora in the tank already so you have to consider that as well.

 

[blueshoe32]

Yea I am going to keep working here . I love all my little guys and want them to happy. I don't see signs of stress and all seem to behave as they should. That doesn't mean I should leave it though::: sigh::: I will no longer ask advice from a fish store

 

[flchamp89]

Yea I am going to keep working here . I love all my little guys and want them to happy. I don't see signs of stress and all seem to behave as they should. That doesn't mean I should leave it though::: sigh::: I will no longer ask advice from a fish store

You just need to keep in mind the majority are not experienced aquarists. They also are in the business of selling you something lol. There good and bad. Probably more bad than good unfortunately.

 

[blueshoe32]

What about putting my harlequin rasbora in my 20 and school in the beta tank ?

 

[flchamp89]

I honestly dont know what to advise. Just not a lot of good combos with tanks and fish you have. Some need new homes imo.

Try get smallest fish in the 10g guppies and neons I guess. They like way different parameters but...at least they should get along. The rams and extra bn are biggest problem. I guess you know your betta so consider what he/she gets along with. Tough decisions...

 

[Laser]

You just need to keep in mind the majority are not experienced aquarists. They also are in the business of selling you something lol. There good and bad. Probably more bad than good unfortunately.

I was pretty impressed today when a young man working at my LFS point blank told a family they couldn't put an Angelfish in a 12g and then proceeded to show them the full sized ones.

For the most part though you won't get good advice and most stores have a very liberal idea of how a tank can be stocked.

 

[blueshoe32]

Yea. The one that gave me the ideas for my tanks , both of them were using their own " experience " instead of pure knowlege

 

[abw0004]

Are the rams a paired M/F? Or two males? That is right on the minimum for a tank size with Rams and if you have two males, or an unpaired M/F, that could cause issues down the road. The DG might also fight with them. My DG fought with my rams after a few months being together. Every fish is different however, just be on the watch.

 

[blueshoe32]

I have had no issues . I am unsure of their sexes but frank . The HG is extremely mellow around them . All the fish have their spaces. I did the best I could to make sure I had top swimmers middles and lower swimmers. The rams swim together all the time in fact and go all over the tank

 

[Tyrsdottir]

Personally, it's my view that tall tanks are not only useless, but risky. Fish need lateral space, not tall space. For swimming and for territory.
Added to that, there is the oxygen exchange problem, the water circulation/anaerobic problem, and for plants, the lighting problem.

Simply not worth it, which is probably why it was given to you.

A good use for a tank like that would be for a reptile that likes to climb.

Anyway, as you've been told, you are overstocked and can expect to encounter aggression issues as fish mature. I strongly recommend you do some research about the ecosystem problems this tank can give you.

Here's a decent start that a quick search popped up.
Hexagon tanks and fish